Adopted children's language difficulties and their relation to symptoms of reactive attachment disorder: FinAdo study

This study investigated the potential association between symptoms of reactive attachment disorder and language difficulties among internationally adopted children in Finland (the FinAdo study). The language difficulties were assessed using a standardised Five to Fifteen (FTF) parental questionnaire...

Full description

Saved in:

Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Journal of applied developmental psychology 2013-05, Vol.34 (3), p.152-160
Main Authors:	Raaska, Hanna, Elovainio, Marko, Sinkkonen, Jari, Stolt, Suvi, Jalonen, Iina, Matomäki, Jaakko, Mäkipää, Sanna, Lapinleimu, Helena
Format:	Article
Language:	eng
Subjects:	Adolescents Adopted children Adoption Attachment Behavior Attachment disorders Biological and medical sciences Child clinical studies Children Disorders of higher nervous function. Focal brain diseases. Central vestibular syndrome and deafness. Brain stem syndromes FinAdo study Finland Foreign Countries International adoption Language and communication disorders Language development Language Impairments Language Skills Measures (Individuals) Medical sciences Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes) Neurology Parents Psychological Patterns Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry Psychopathology. Psychiatry Questionnaires Reactive attachment disorder Response rate Symptoms Symptoms (Individual Disorders)
Online Access:	Get full text
Tags:	Add Tag No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!

Description
Summary:	This study investigated the potential association between symptoms of reactive attachment disorder and language difficulties among internationally adopted children in Finland (the FinAdo study). The language difficulties were assessed using a standardised Five to Fifteen (FTF) parental questionnaire and the symptoms of reactive attachment disorder using a FinAdo questionnaire. The study sample consisted of 689 6–15year old children (49.2% boys, response rate 48%). Twenty-nine percent of the children were reported to have language difficulties and 8% severe language difficulties (10% and 2%, respectively, in the general population). A child's symptoms of reactive attachment disorder were associated with language difficulties and severe language difficulties, OR 2.15, 95% CI [1.39, 3.31] and OR 4.33, 95% CI [1.57, 11.98], respectively, the associations being robust to adjustments for background factors. ► Language difficulties are highly prevalent among international adoptees. ► Attachment problems may be among the factors increasing the risk of language problems. ► This study examined potential association between RAD symptoms and language problems. ► Older adoption age and a child's RAD symptoms were associated with language problems. ► Both RAD symptoms and language difficulties should be noticed in treatment strategies.
ISSN:	0193-3973 1873-7900